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Major city · Mexico

Xcalak

Go only if you dive, fly-fish or want an empty beach: 3 nights minimum, own car or the 05:40/16:10 Chetumal bus, no ATM in town.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
MXN
Best months
Dec–Apr (dry, calm water)
avoid Sep–Oct (rain, storms); Aug–Sep for sargassum
Airports
CTM · CUN · TQO
Nights
3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Mexico ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM) or your nearest Mexican consulate; keep proof of your entry (stamp or digital record) until you leave.
  • Mexico ↗Security advice differs by state: some governments advise against travel to parts of several states. Check your own government's advice for each region on your route.
  • Mexico ↗Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water and ice from reliable places.
  • Mexico ↗Foreign visitors to Quintana Roo (Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Bacalar, Holbox) pay the state VISITAX online at visitax.gob.mx only; lookalike sites add fees.

Xcalak is a fishing village at the southern end of Quintana Roo, a few kilometres from the Belize border, with one road in and almost no commerce. The draw is the reef 500 m offshore and the Chinchorro Banks 22 km out, plus bonefish flats in Chetumal Bay. There is no bank, no ATM and little English outside the dive shops, so arrive with cash and a plan.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Xcalak, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeM$40–70 (≈ US$3–4)
  • Street or quick mealFish taco or cevicheM$120–220 (≈ US$7–12)
  • BeerM$40–70 (≈ US$3–4)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekM$300–600 (≈ US$17–35)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personMX$350 (≈ US$19)
  • Mid-range bedBeach hotel double room, a night, per roomMX$2,200 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedBeach hotel double room, a night, per roomMX$4,500 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget MX$900 (≈ US$50) · Mid MX$1,800 (≈ US$100) · High MX$3,500 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Xcalak Reef National ParkChinchorro Banks divingFly-fishing in Chetumal BayEmpty Caribbean beach
Airports
CTM Chetumal (Closest commercial airport, about 2.5 h by road; bus from Chetumal, or rent a car.) · CUN Cancún (About 6 h by road; only worth it if you are already on the Riviera Maya.) · TQO Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto (About 4 h by road; check current flight schedules.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Xcalak: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

28°C

20°C

6 rd

Feb

29°C

21°C

5 rd

Mar

30°C

22°C

4 rd

Apr

32°C

24°C

4 rd

May

33°C

25°C

7 rd

Jun

32°C

25°C

12 rd

Jul

32°C

25°C

11 rd

Aug

32°C

25°C

11 rd

Sep

32°C

25°C

14 rd

Oct

31°C

24°C

13 rd

Nov

30°C

22°C

8 rd

Dec

29°C

21°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk in the village; the beach road north and the Mahahual road need a car, taxi or bike. There is no real address system — ask locally. Boats for the reef and Chinchorro leave from the village or the dive shops.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Mahahualgo

Door to door: About 1 h

Car or the Chetumal bus along the beach road

Bigger village with more food and dive shops; the bus stops here.

Bacalar

overnight

Door to door: About 2.5 h

Car via Highway 307

Lagoon town; too far for a comfortable return day.

Chetumalgo

Door to door: About 2.5 h

Caribé bus from the village

Where you find banks, ATMs and the airport.

Chinchorro Banks

go

Door to door: Full day

Dive boat from Xcalak, 22 km offshore

UNESCO biosphere reserve; book with a dive shop, weather dependent.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

In the village

Walk to restaurants and the pier; Xcalak Caribe Lodge and a handful of small places on the beach.

North beach road (Km 5–10)

Villas and eco inns with kitchens; you need a car or a bike, and dinner is at your own place.

Mahahual road (Km 40–50)

Between Mahahual and Xcalak; the Chetumal bus passes here, so it works without a car.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
M$700–1,200 (≈ US$40–65) excl. bed
Mid
M$1,200–2,500 (≈ US$65–140) excl. bed
High
M$2,500 (≈ US$140)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Beach hotel double room1 × 3 nights × MX$2,200MX$6,600
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × MX$1,800MX$10,800
Caribé bus Chetumal–Xcalak, one way2 × MX$200 · checkMX$400
Two-tank reef dive2 × MX$1,800 · checkMX$3,600
Chinchorro Banks day trip2 × MX$3,500 · checkMX$7,000
Car hire, one day1 × MX$1,200 · checkMX$1,200
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeMX$2,960
Trip total≈ MX$5,427 per person per day, bed includedMX$32,560≈ US$1,800

2026 estimate in pesos; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeM$40–70 (≈ US$3–4)
Fish taco or cevicheM$120–220 (≈ US$7–12)
Grilled fish or shrimp plateM$250–450 (≈ US$14–25)
BeerM$40–70 (≈ US$3–4)
Boat trip to the reef, per personcheckM$500–900 (≈ US$30–50)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekM$300–600 (≈ US$17–35)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low crime, but the village is remote: no ATM, patchy phone signal, and the nearest hospital is in Chetumal. Check the hurricane forecast from June to November and never swim past the reef without a boat.
  • No bank or ATM in Xcalak: bring enough cash from Chetumal or Mahahual.
  • The Chetumal bus runs twice a day; missing the afternoon one strands you.
  • Sargassum can pile up on the beach from May to September.
  • If you cross to Belize by boat, sort your tourist card and immigration before you arrive — the nearest office is in Mahahual.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Tourist assistance
078
Green Angels (roadside help)
078

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

XcalakXcalak

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Tourist assistance078

Embassy

No consulate in Xcalak; the US has a consular agency in Playa del Carmen and the embassy is in Mexico City. Most other countries: embassies in Mexico City.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Chetumal → Xcalak, Caribé bus: about M$200 (≈ US$11), 2.5 h (check)
  • Xcalak → Mahahual, Caribé bus: about M$100 (≈ US$6), 1 h (check)
  • Boat to Caye Caulker, Belize: arrange with a captain or dive shop; price varies (check)

Say or show

  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-to KWES-ta)
  • ¿Dónde hay un cajero? — Where is the ATM? (DON-de ai un ka-HE-ro)
  • Quiero bucear en el arrecife — I want to dive the reef (KYE-ro boo-se-AR en el a-re-SI-fe)
  • La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (la KWEN-ta por fa-VOR)
  • ¿Aceptan tarjeta? — Do you take cards? (a-SEP-tan tar-HE-ta)
  • ¿Hay lancha hoy? — Is there a boat today? (ai LAN-cha oi)

Bring cash from Chetumal; cards are accepted at some hotels only.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Xcalak. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Dec–Apr (dry, calm water) · avoid Sep–Oct (rain, storms); Aug–Sep for sargassum · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CTM and CUN: bus times, car-hire desks, taxi fallback.
  2. Walking clusters in the village plus the north beach road, with the two bus stops marked.
  3. Place pages for Xcalak Reef National Park and Chinchorro Banks with dive-shop and permit notes.
  4. Eat pages with last orders, since most kitchens close early.

Meanwhile

Back to Mexico

Sources